Etihad Rail has announced the journey times for some of its main passenger routes.
Travelling from Abu Dhabi to Dubai will take 57 minutes, while a trip from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah on the east coast will take 105 minutes. The rail operator also said the travel time between Abu Dhabi and Al Ruwais, about 240km west of the capital, will be 70 minutes.
“Travel times for other destinations will be revealed in due course,” Etihad Rail said in a social media post on Monday.
While no date for the start of passenger services was revealed, the announcement marks another step forward for the rail service.
What do we know about Etihad Rail?
The planned passenger line is aimed at reducing commuting times, easing congestion and boosting tourism and trade. It was announced in March that a major station was to be built in Sharjah, close to the airport and University City, home to education institutions.
Once up and running, the station will help to increase the number of passengers on Etihad Rail to about 14,000 a day during the week, officials said.
It followed an announcement by Etihad Rail that the first passenger station would be built in Fujairah.
Other stations in Dubai and across the UAE are expected as part of plans for the passenger network to link 11 cities and regions across the country, from Al Sila to Fujairah, passing through Al Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Al Dhaid.
Passenger trains will travel at up to 200 kph and have space for up to 400 passengers. Officials have said they expect more than 36 million people a year to use the service by 2030.
In 2022, the operator said passengers could expect travel times of 50 minutes between Abu Dhabi and Dubai and about 100 minutes from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah. Etihad Rail has also previously confirmed the stations will be linked to existing transport infrastructure and passengers will have access to taxi and ride-hailing services.
Carriages will have Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points and various food and drink options.
Watch: Etihad Rail's maiden passenger trip
Intended for work and leisure
The first passenger journey on Etihad Rail took place between Abu Dhabi and Al Dhannah, close to the Ruwais industrial complex, in January. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc, was among the first passengers.
Once open for general services, the route will enable Adnoc employees to travel by train from Abu Dhabi to Al Dhannah.
Plans for a luxury train service were also unveiled last year in a deal signed between Italian luxury hospitality company Arsenale and Etihad Rail. The “rail cruise” is expected to cross the country from Fujairah to the Liwa desert in Abu Dhabi.
Etihad Rail’s freight network is already up and running, while the UAE and Oman are developing a railway line known as Hafeet Rail. The project is a joint venture between Mubadala, Oman Rail and Etihad Rail, and the it is to link the UAE with the Port of Sohar.
The project secured $1.5 billion in project financing, backed by a consortium of Emirati, Omani, regional and international banks, state news agency Wam reported last week. The deal was announced during the Global Rail Transport Infrastructure Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi.
According to a report by the regional news service Meed, Etihad Rail has issued contracts to China Railway International Group, which show the first stations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In Dubai, the station will reportedly be behind the Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro station on the Red Line, and the Abu Dhabi station will be on the pipeline corridor that separates Mussafah Industrial Area and Mohammed bin Zayed City, between Dalma Mall and Musaffah bus station.
In Fujairah, the station will be in Al Hilal City.
Etihad Rail has not commented on the contracts.
Bawaal%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nitesh%20Tiwari%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Varun%20Dhawan%2C%20Janhvi%20Kapoor%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Celta Vigo 2
Castro (45'), Aspas (82')
Barcelona 2
Dembele (36'), Alcacer (64')
Red card: Sergi Roberto (Barcelona)
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Read more from Mina Al-Oraibi
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
